SAFF Under-19 Football Tournament Joint Champions – Bangladesh U-19 Women's Team. Photo courtesy of Shokalshondha News Web Portal. Used with permission.

The U-19 Women's SAFF Championship was held in February 2024 in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The South Asian Football Federation Women's Cup is a tournament for women's national football teams organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). Seven member nations — Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka — participate in the competition every two years.

The final match between India and Bangladesh on Febriary 8th concluded in a 1-1 draw, with Bangladesh striker Sagarika scoring the equalizer in the last minute of the game. As a result, Bangladesh and India were declared joint winners of the tournament.

India and Bangladesh were indeed declared joint winners of the SAFF U-19 Women's Football Championship on February 8th, 2024.

The final match ended in a 1-1 draw, and even the penalty shootout went down to the wire, ending 11-11.
Initially, a controversial coin toss decided… pic.twitter.com/9nsO7Re5nS

— Northeast Now (@NENowNews) February 9, 2024

Sagorika's outstanding performance throughout the tournament not only helped Bangladesh secure joint championship status but also marked her triumphant return home after six years, as she emerged as the tournament's top scorer and best player.

Overcaming parental resistance to shine on the football field

Sagorika's full name is Mosammat Sagorika. She was born in Rangatungi village of Ranishankoil upazila in the Thakurgaon district in north Bangladesh, about 400 km from Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Her parents, Liton Mia and Anju Begum run a small tea shop near the village. The couple has two children — a son and a daughter. The son, who is older, works at a brick kiln, while the younger child is Sagorika. Like many in her village, Sagarika might have ended up working in the brick kiln due to financial hardships, but football transformed her fate.

It is extremely challenging for girls in Bangladesh to play football at the grassroots level. Many must overcome numerous obstacles, including gender bias and stereotypes, just to reach the field.

In 2014, a college teacher named Tajul Islam founded Rangatungi United, a women's football club. Establishing and running a football academy for girls in a remote village in Bangladesh was no easy task, but he accepted the challenge. Today, several players from Rangatungi United are part of various age-group women's teams in Bangladesh. Sagorika began playing football at Rangatungi United at the age of nine.

Sagarika is the top scorer and best player of the SAFF U-19 2024 Tournament. Photo courtesy of Shokalshondha News Web Portal. Used with permission.

However, some conservative villagers objected to girls playing football — not just for Sagorika but for all the girls who wanted to participate. Despite the opposition, Tajul Islam and his team continued their efforts.

Sagorika also faced challenges at home. Neighbors warned her family that if she continued to play football, she would not find a husband. This led her father to forbid her from playing. He did not speak to her for a long time. Nevertheless, Sagorika did not give up. She received support from her aunt, who eventually convinced her father to let her continue playing.

Because of her impressive football skills, Sagorika was selected for admission to the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP) in Savar, the premier sports education institution in Bangladesh. However, she did not like the rules there and returned home to continue playing with Rangatungi Football Club.

As the third round of the Women's Football League in Bangladesh gained popularity in 2019, many female footballers were eager to participate. Sagorika got her chance with Bangladesh's FC Brahmanbaria team but had to leave her village and travel to Dhaka to play in the league, making her return to the village uncertain.

A long way from home

In an interview with the news outlet Shokal Shondha, Sagorika said, “when I came to Dhaka to play in the Women's Football League, many people came to my mother and said, ‘I heard your daughter ran away with a boy to Dhaka.’ My mother defended me by showing videos of the Women's League matches on YouTube, saying, ‘My daughter didn’t elope; you can see her playing in this video.’”

However, people still did not believe her, and Sagorika stopped returning home. She realized that if she went back, she might not be able to return to Dhaka to continue playing. As a result, Sagorika stayed away from her village for six long years.

A little bit shy at the post-match press conference after netting two fine goals in their SAFF U-19 Women’s C'ship opener against Nepal, Sagorika could not hide her brashness in the end while talking about her fight against family to become a footballer.https://t.co/Wq6Auc8T4K

— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) February 2, 2024

The SAFF U19 Championship opened new doors for her. Her impressive performance in the women's league during 2022 and 2023 caught the attention of the selectors, and she was included in the national team.

The same villagers who once criticised Sagorika for playing football are now proud of her achievements. According to The Daily Star, many villagers gathered at Sagarika's father's tea shop to watch her play in the SAFF U-19 football final. The match was broadcast live on T-Sports, and her father rented a television set so the entire village could watch Sagorika's game together.

While many villagers watched the game on television, Sagorika's parents traveled to Dhaka the day before the final to see her play live. It was their first visit to the capital, and their first time watching their daughter play in person. Just like the rest of the country, Sagorika did not disappoint her parents in the final.

A tearful Sagarika reunites with her parents after the final match. Photo courtesy of Shokalshondha News Web Portal. Used with permission.

Sagorika scored the goal against India in a critical moment of the final when Bangladesh was trailing behind with a 1–0 score. Her parents are now extremely proud of her. In an interview with the Dhaka Tribune, her father said, “My daughter has proved that I was wrong and she was right. I thought she wouldn't be able to marry if she continued playing football, which is why I didn't want her to play. But now I know I was wrong.”

Although Bangladesh was declared joint champions, Sagorika was named the top scorer and the best player of the SAFF U-19 tournament. After many years, she returned to her village with respect and pride.

Mosammat Sagorika is the SAFF U-19 Women's Player of the tournament. 🇧🇩 pic.twitter.com/WXwlIfX5hx

— Plaantik (@Plaantik) February 18, 2024

In May 2024, Sagorika was selected for the Bangladesh national women's football team.

Sagorika's success will serve as an inspiration not only for herself but for women all over Bangladesh and even around the world.